We have measured the 3He(e,epp)n reaction at an incident energy of 4.7 GeV over a wide kinematic range. We identified spectator correlated pp and pn nucleon pairs using kinematic cuts and measured their relative and total momentum distributions. This is the first measurement of the ratio of pp to pn pairs as a function of pair total momentum, $p_{tot}$. For pair relative momenta between 0.3 and 0.5 GeV/c, the ratio is very small at low $p_{tot}$ and rises to approximately 0.5 at large $p_{tot}$. This shows the dominance of tensor over central correlations at this relative momentum.
We have measured the $^3$He(e,e$$pp)n{} reaction in the Jefferson Lab CLAS with 2.2 and 4.4 GeV electrons. We looked at the energy distribution of events with all three nucleons at high momentum (p > 250 MeV/c). This distribution has peaks where two nucleons each have 20% or less of the energy transfer (ie: the third or `leading nucleon carries most of the kinetic energy). The angular distribution of these two `fast nucleons shows a very large back-to-back peak, indicating the effect of correlations. While there is some theoretical disagreement, experimental evidence, plus calculations at lower energy by W. Glockle, indicates that these events are primarily sensitive to NN correlations.
We have measured the 3He(e,epp)n reaction at 2.2 GeV over a wide kinematic range. The kinetic energy distribution for `fast nucleons (p > 250 MeV/c) peaks where two nucleons each have 20% or less, and the third nucleon has most of the transferred energy. These fast pp and pn pairs are back-to-back with little momentum along the three-momentum transfer, indicating that they are spectators. Experimental and theoretical evidence indicates that we have measured distorted two-nucleon momentum distributions by striking the third nucleon and detecting the spectator correlated pair.
We have performed high precision measurements of the zero-energy neutron scattering amplitudes of gas phase molecular hydrogen, deuterium, and $^{3}$He using neutron interferometry. We find $b_{mathit{np}}=(-3.7384 pm 0.0020)$ fmcite{Schoen03}, $b_{mathit{nd}}=(6.6649 pm 0.0040)$ fmcite{Black03,Schoen03}, and $b_{n^{3}textrm{He}} = (5.8572 pm 0.0072)$ fmcite{Huffman04}. When combined with the previous world data, properly corrected for small multiple scattering, radiative corrections, and local field effects from the theory of neutron optics and combined by the prescriptions of the Particle Data Group, the zero-energy scattering amplitudes are: $b_{mathit{np}}=(-3.7389 pm 0.0010)$ fm, $b_{mathit{nd}}=(6.6683 pm 0.0030)$ fm, and $b_{n^{3}textrm{He}} = (5.853 pm .007)$ fm. The precision of these measurements is now high enough to severely constrain NN few-body models. The n-d and n-$^{3}$He coherent neutron scattering amplitudes are both now in disagreement with the best current theories. The new values can be used as input for precision calculations of few body processes. This precision data is sensitive to small effects such as nuclear three-body forces, charge-symmetry breaking in the strong interaction, and residual electromagnetic effects not yet fully included in current models.
We report the first measurement of the eep three-body breakup reaction cross sections in helium-3 ($^3$He) and tritium ($^3$H) at large momentum transfer ($langle Q^2 rangle approx 1.9$ (GeV/c)$^2$) and $x_B>1$ kinematics, where the cross section should be sensitive to quasielastic (QE) scattering from single nucleons. The data cover missing momenta $40 le p_{miss} le 500$ MeV/c that, in the QE limit with no rescattering, equals the initial momentum of the probed nucleon. The measured cross sections are compared with state-of-the-art ab-initio calculations. Overall good agreement, within $pm20%$, is observed between data and calculations for the full $p_{miss}$ range for $^3$H and for $100 le p_{miss} le 350$ MeV/c for $^3$He. Including the effects of rescattering of the outgoing nucleon improves agreement with the data at $p_{miss} > 250$ MeV/c and suggests contributions from charge-exchange (SCX) rescattering. The isoscalar sum of $^3$He plus $^3$H, which is largely insensitive to SCX, is described by calculations to within the accuracy of the data over the entire $p_{miss}$ range. This validates current models of the ground state of the three-nucleon system up to very high initial nucleon momenta of $500$ MeV/c.
The isospin character of p-n pairs at large relative momentum has been observed for the first time in the 16O ground state. A strong population of the J,T=1,0 state and a very weak population of the J,T=0,1 state were observed in neutron pick up domain of 16O(p,pd) at 392 MeV. This strong isospin dependence at large momentum transfer is not reproduced by the distorted-wave impulse approximation calculations with known spectroscopic amplitudes. The results indicate the presence of high-momentum protons and neutrons induced by the tensor interactions in ground state of 16O.